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What roles, if any, did women formally or informally occupy within the Russian military during the reign of Catherine the Great?

I'm aware of the ceremonial women's unit formed in the Crimea, but I'm interested in broader participation. Were women present in camp as sutlers, nurses, or even disguised as soldiers? What does the historical record say about their involvement in the Russo-Turkish wars or the policing of the empire during her rule?

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By Binita Sinha Answered 1 year ago

Beyond the famous but short-lived "Amazon Company" of 1787, women's roles were predominantly informal but vital. They served as camp followers (markitantki): sutlers, laundresses, and nurses, integral to army logistics. More intriguingly, archival records and petitions reveal cases of women who disguised themselves as men to serve as soldiers, often following husbands or seeking economic opportunity. While Catherine's state did not formally enlist women, her reign saw a slight expansion of their recognized presence in military spaces through these support functions. The real story lies in these unofficial capacities and individual acts of subterfuge, which challenge the purely masculine facade of the Imperial Russian army.

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